Method of making wirebound boxes



May 8, 1923.

H. J. KO CH METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES 15 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Nov. 11

%wg; ATTORN May 8, 1923.

H. J. KOCH METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Original Filed Nov. 11, 15 Sheets-Sheet 2 May 8, 1 923.

H'. ,1. KOCH METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Original Filed NOV 11, 1918 l5 Sheets-Sheet 3 F00 0%0 OM20 0 6200 0 I INV NT 0 ATTORIV H. J. KOCH METHOD F MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES May 8, 1923.

Original Filed NOV. 11 1918 ATTORNEY.

Ma s,1923 1 54517 H. J. KOQZH METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Original Filed N01 11, 1918 15 Sheets-Sheet 5 J E I Q v I INVENTOR. MM, aw x A TTORNE'X May'S, 1923. 1,454,517 H. J. KOCH METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Original Filed Nov. 11 1918 INVENTOR.

Y ATTORNEY.

15 Sheets-Sheet 7 May 8, 1923. 1,454,517

I H. J. KOCH 7 METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Original led 11, 1918 15 me ts-sheet 9 J 0 162/ as) 154 I68 /6/ --/4 I I v ,64 I66 ATTORNEY -15 Sheets-Sheet 1o H J KOCH METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Original Filled Nov. 11

May 8, 192-3.

INVENTOR.

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Mays, 1923. A 3,454, 51?

H. J. KOCH METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Original Filed Nov. 11, 1918' "15 sheecsshe n H. J. KOCH METHOD OF MAKING WIHEBOUND BOXES May 8, 1923.

15 Sheets-Sheet 12 Original Filed Nov. 11, 1918 INVENTOR. 9. Mi q 2') ATTORNEY May 8, 19 23, 5 1,454,517

. 1 H. J. KQOH METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Original Filed N09. 11, "1918 15 Shegts-Sheet 15 iZwW( A TTORNEY.

May 8, 1923.

H. J. KOCH METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Original Fil'ed v. 11,1918 15 Sheets-Sheet 14 INVENTOR. .--/41'L ATTORNEY.

May 8, 1923. 1,454,517 7 H. J. KOCH METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES Original Filed NOV. 11, 1918 15 Sheets-Sheet 15 INVEN TOR. V ./Zu-OZ "7 5L ATTORN Patented May 8, 1923.

' rim-"ran stares ras er; arise.

HENRY J. KOCH, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIL-NOR TO -WIREBOUNDS PATENTS COMPANY, OF KITTERY, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

METHOD OF MAKING WIREBOUND BOXES.

Original application liled- November 11, 1918, Serial No. 262,027. Divided and this application filed .Tan-

' nary 27. 1:322.- Serial No. 532,323.

To all whom it concerns Be' it known that I, HENRY J. KocH, a citizen of t-he United States, and a resident of Chicago, county of Cook, 'andState of Illinois, haveinventedan Improvement in Methods of Making VVireboundBoxes, of which. the following is a specification. I

- This invention relates to the manufacture of wirebound boxes, bo'x blanks, or box parts,

and pertains more particularly to methods of supplying fastening means to wire -..secured to box partswhereby one box part may be connected with another.

The present application is a division of my copending application Serial No.'262,027,

filed November 11, 19 18; and the method invention defined in the claims appended heretomay be conveniently explained by reference to the illustrative machine disclosed in said copending application.

Among other objects, the invention is intended to provide a convenient method'of supplying fastening means to wire secured to box parts which is readily applicable to commercial practices on a-largescale. By

employing a method embodying the invention, a box maker is enabled to practice a great many substantial economies which will appear to those'skilled in the art.

In said drawings: r Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an approved type ofwirebound box blank machine containing one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is'a-front end elevation;

'Fig. 3 is a sectional side elevation of a work-conveying and conveyorfeeding mechanism;

Fig. 4 and Fig.5 are detail plan and side views of a stjop-mechanism functioning in 40 control of the feed;

Fig. Gshows certain elements of said stopmechanism;

Fig. 7 is a sectional plan view of a side portion of the machines Fig. 8 is a side elevation of thefront end of -the machine VieWed from the opposite side of Fig. l;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the front end of the machine, showing the fastener-sup- 50 plying mechanism;

s Fig. 10 is a sectional side viewshowing one unit of the-fastener-supplying mechanism;

Figs. 11 and 12 arevertical sections, taken at right angles to each other,.of a portion of one fastener-supplying unit;

Figs. 13 and 14 are horizontal sectional views of said unit on.'diiferent planes;

. Fig. 15 is a side view of a portion of the machine, showing a staple-wire cut-out mechanism; i

Fig. 16 is a detail view of a certain cam plate which is broken away in Fig. 10;

Figs. 17 to 22 inclusive are a series of detail views representing successive phases of 5 operation of afastener-supplying unit. a

The illustrative machine is of the type in which a conveyor receives assembled box sec tions, in proper relation to form 'a blank or blanks, and advances the assembled work beneath a gang of binding-wire applying and stapling mechanisms which staple the sheets and cleats of'the box sections together while securing continuous lengths of binding wires thereto, the materials being stapled at intervals depending upon the relative progression of the work between successive operations of the staplers.

As an organized unit of the machine, it also contains a mechanism for severing the binding wires between the boxsections,- as they are successively being made, and supplying the free ends of the wires with fastening means, such for example as fasteners of the character shown in Fig. 22. One of the illustrative fasteners may be inserted through the other, pried and bent over for tensioning and connecting the ends of thewires in completing their continuity around the box made from the folded blank. Figs. 17 to '22 illustratefa process of formation of the fastenendevices.

The general organization of the machine, which further includes devices for controlling the relationship of the Work and stapling and fastener-supplying mechanism, will be first described.

The work-conveyor, as shown in Figs} 1 and 2, comprises a pair oflink side chains '3, running on the horizontal guide rails 4,

and trained around the driven sheaves'5 and idle sheaves 6 mounted respectively in the front and rear side frames 1 and .2; the idle sheaves being preferably adjustable, by

means of. a rack and gear controlled by the 05 hand wheel- 7, to permit varying the lengths of the chains to suit the manufacture of different lengths of box blanks. The con a'icn the pr rality ofco'ntinuous line binding wire, drawnfrom supply reels are introduced in proper relation to the box sections to be stapled thereto, the wires being led by unseen guide rollers under the respective staplers, in proximity to the work, and being pulled along with the work by virtue of their attachment thereto at preceding points.

The staplers, not specifically shown, are arranged between the front side frames 1, and operate directly over the cross frame beam 18 shown in Fig. 3, which beam may support anvils 19, shown in Fig. 9, for co action with the intermediate staplers in order to clinch on the under side of the sheets the staples driven over the wires running between the cleats. The other wires, alined with the cleats, will be stapled through the sheets thereto.

Staplers of suitable character are disclosed, forexample, in the patent to Thompoc'ression oi.

e work,

son 1,258,625 dated March 5, 1918. These are combined staple formers and drivers, adapted at every operation to cut and form staples from staple stock wire, and to drive .the same over the respective binding wires into the work.

The staplers are operated, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, by the vertically-reciprocating cross-head 20 working in guides 21 in the side frames 1, the said cross-head being operated by pitmen 22 from eccentrics 24 on the main shaft 9. Another eccentric 25 on said shaft operates through rod 27 a ratchet mechanism 28 for intermittently Working" the staple stock wire feed-rolls, not shown.

It will be understood that the downward or drivingstroke of the staplers occurs during an intermittent pause in the movement of the work, and the upward or inoperative stroke, during relative movement of the work. the extent of which movement deter mines the spacing between adjacent staples.

By regulation of the conveyer movements, through automatic means as hereinafter described, the staples are positioned on the box blanks as desired. skipping the spaces between the blanks and individual sections.

Movement of the conveyer is derived from a ratchet feed, shown in Fig. 3, comprising a ratchet-wheel 30 on sheaves 5, engaged by the end i expansiple brake shell to, w or the ratchet wheel. The brake she secured to bracket i1, and its "free ends provided with lugs 43 adapted to be apart by a spreader attached by a pin it to a lever 45 connected by a link &6 to the ratchet driving arm 32.

Backward movement of the ratchet wheel during the inoperative stroke of the driving arm 32 is prevented by a retaining dog pivoted on said bracket.

There is also provided a manually-operable means to enable the operative to move the conveyer independently, for initially adjusting the work relative to the staplers or causing any arbitrary feed movement at will. This comprises a hand lever (Fig. 1) formed as an extension of lever 51 which is fulcrumed at 52 to the machine frame and connected by a link 53 with one arm 55 of an angle lever rockingly mounted on the shaft 8 and having its other arm 56 provided with a gravity pawl 57 for engagement with the ratchet wheel.

As stated, the movements of the conveyer are automatically regulated for controlling the disposition of the staples on the work and skipping the spaces between the box sections and blanks. The illustrative mechanism accomplishes this function by varriably limiting the backward reach of the feed pawls 31. For this purpose, the rachetdriving arm 32 is connected by the rod 61 and pivoted connector-head 62 to a reciprocating pawl-carrier 60, shown in Figs. 4 and 5, slidable on a stationary rack plate 64 and having a set of pawls 65 controllably coactive with the rack teeth 66. The extent of backward movemnt of the pawl-carrying slide 60 determines the inoperative stroke of the ratchet-driving arm, and-accordingly regulates the working stroke and thus determines the distance the conveyer moves forward at each cycle of the machine.

Said pawls 65, pivoted in the slide on the bolt 68, and depressed by the springs 69 under an extension of the top plate of the slide, are normally upheld from the rack teeth66 by a trigger 70 arranged crosswise the pawls and thereby holding the latter,

clear of the rack teeth. The-trigger is maintained in this position by a leaf spring 75 but is adapted to be shifted endwise to bring the recesses 73 under thepawls, allowing them' to drop into engagement with the rack teeth and thus stop the backward movement of the slide and consequently limit the inoperative stroke of the ratchet driving arm 32.

For normal feed movements of the conveyer, the shifting of the trigger to drop the pawls is effected by a trip lever 80 having a; camsurface 81 in the path of and engaged b thebevelled nose 7 7 of the trigger as the pawl-slide moves backward with the inoperative stroke of the ratchet-driving arm 32. Upon the ensuing forward stroke, the pawls will be raised clear of the trigger by a raised surface 67 on the rack plate,.allowing the trigger to snap back to its normal pawl-elevating position. b

As so far described, the work-conveyer receives a uniform step-by-step. feed, for regularly spacing the staples on. the box sections. The normal spacing interval mav however be changed, more or less, by adjusting the relation of the trigger-trip 80 to the trigger 70. For this purpose the trip lever 80 is carried by a slide-block 82 adjustably secured by bolt 83 on the rack plate. A spring 85 seated in said block under the trip lever holdsit up in the path of the trigger. The trip lever is provided with a further cam surface 117 for engage- -ment by certain hereinafter mentioned controlling members to depress the trip lever.

For regulating and, if necessary, varying the feed to skip the blank joints, and to .locate certain staples at desired points on the blank, the feed control normally exercised by the trigger trip 80 is occasionally assumed by other successively presented trips or controlling members, correlated with relative positions of the work and sta ling mechanism, and adapted to cause arbitrary feed movements to bring the work to desired stapling positions. Said controlling members in the illustrative machine are carried by the various spacer blocks 10, 12 and 13 (Figs. 5,7 and 17) which position the box materials on the conveyer chains, and are shown as pins 90, 92 and 93, which are definitely related to said spacer blocks and may be adjustably secured thereto. These function in locating the staples which come nearest the forward and rear edges of the box sections, while the remaining staples are satisfactorily placed by appropriate adjustment of the normal feed.

The travel of the conveyer brings said;

Fig. 5 shows. in dotted lines, one of the spacer blocks 10 used between adjacent sec-' tions of a blank, there being a number of such spacers for every blank. Its controlling pin 90, in the manner above explained, function to locate the last staple of the boxsectioir ahead of or preceding that spacer block, and the ensuing normal feed step, determined by the trigger trip 80, will correctly locate the first staple of the following section. 1

Fig. '17 shows spacer blocks used between successive blanks, the block 12 having lateral lug 12 and upstanding lug'12 for engaging respectivel the rear end of thecleat C and the rear ec geof sheet S of the last section 13 and upstanding lug 13 for engaging respectively the front end of the cleat G and the front edge of sheet Sof the next blank. It willjbe noted that the screw 13* positions the first cleat of the blank and that by replacing the screw 13; with one of another size, the relation of the forward edge of the sheet to the cleat may be modified as desired. i

Block '12, through its controlling member or pin 92 functions similarly to the intermediate spacer blocks, in that it determines the positioning of the last staple of the blank. The block 13, however, has its controlling pin 93 so located as to cause an arbitrary, feed step one or more normal feed steps ahead of the desired position of the first staple of the following blank, andthe ensuin normal feed will correctly locate that stap e. v I

Thus the work is irregularly advanced, the step movements being controlled for defi nitely positioning the first and last staples of each blank, and of each box section, while the placing of the intermediate staples is determined by proper adjustment of the normal feed.

Inasmuchas an arbitrary fee-d step occurs between the driving of the last staple-of one staplers, which may be done by depriving fi them of feeding wire. For this purpose the mechanism shown in Fig. 15 -is provided in connection with the ratchet mechanism for operating the staple stock wire feed-rollers; On the shaft 100 of said feed rollers. is the ratchet wheel 101. The pawl 102 for'working said ratchet is carried on an arm 103 operated fromthe main shaft by the rod 27, driven from eccentric 25 (Fig. 1). To a stationary bracket 106 is pivoteda detector finger 107 normally bear- PD 1 i the utter M18180 1 .i i r' ,5 m n its, much is loose on the iatcnetsnait, causing said cam to engage a pm 105. on the pawl 102 and tlir owput the latter.

By this operation he staples which would otherwise be formed and theoretically driven between the blanks are eliminated;- the sta- 1 7 piers still operating but oeing deprives or feed wire. I

' Fastener-supplying mechanism.

As previously stated, the box blanks manufactured on the illustrative machine are to have their respective binding wires provided with terminal fastening means for connecting them when the box blank is folded into shape.

These fastening means are supplied to the wires by mechanism arranged forward of the staplers and automatically coming into 30- action, at precisely the right'times and right relation to .the bOX v materials, after the staples have: been driven in one blank and the stapling has commenced upon another blank; said mechanism operating upon the free portions of the wiresjoining the blanks first to sever them, midway or otherwise definitely, and then to slipply the severed ends with the desired fastening means.

Refering to Figs. 1, 2,8, 9 and 10, said mechanism comprises a number of fastenersupplying units 120, correspondingv to the respective Wires to be supplied with fastenin means.

fihe character of fastening means to be supplied by this specific mechanism is shown in Fig. 22. This fastener consists of a bightformed directly on the wire binding itself by having the legs of the bight twisted together. Y V

The operation of one of the fastener-supplying units is indicated in Figs. 17 to 22 inclusive; such units being in this instance Wire bending andtwisting mechanisms.

Each bending and-twisting mechanism, as shown in Figs 11 and 12, includes a pair of vertically-arranged rotary twister shafts 121 provided at their lower ends each with a pair of hinged jaws or-fingers 122 distended by a spring 123, one of thejaws ofeach air having a stud 124. Between the twisters is a wire cutter 125 and a pair of notched wipers 126. This groupof devices is normallyv above the plane of the work, the distended twister jaws 122-and the notches 127 the anvil no he knife about commence.

In operation, the group of devices drops to the position shown in Fig. 18, bringing the knife against the anvil to sever the wire, and bringing the distended twister jaws 122 over the wire, with their studs 12% below the wire, and causing the notches of the wipers 126 to engage the wire. in this movement the twister jaws immediately close together so as to catch the wire under the studs 12a. The group of devices is then elevated, and in ascending the twisters and wipers are" swung outwardly, so that they cooperate in bending the wires over the studs, and the wipers by a continued swinging movement engage and hold the legs of the bight as shown in Fig. 21. Then .the twisters are rotated to twist the legs of the bight, while still held by the wipers as shown in Fig. 22. The wipers are then retracted, the twister fingers separated to release the bights from the studs, and the group of de vices is further elevated to allow the work to proceed and then returned to the original position shown in Fig. 17 i In performing these operations the wire manipulating elements may move with the work until the fastening .means are provided on the ends of the wires, being automatically returned to position to operate upon the wires of the followin blank; thus avoiding interruption or retardation of operation of the machine. I

It will be noted that the two forming studs or pins 124 are of difi'ercnt sizes, the object being to form, at opposite ends of. the blank, fastening means one of which can be inserted through the other and pried, by means ofanysuitable tool engagingcthe smaller eye of the inserted fastener, so as to tension the wires around the box, after which the inserted fastener may be bent or hooked over the-other to complete the fastenin The several movements of the parts a ove described, which are desirable when the illustrative form of fastening means is to be supplied, may be produced in any practicable manner, as, for example, by the-illustrative means now to be described. The several fastener-Suppl ing units are mounted in a carriage 130 igs. 1 and 8),

comprising side members connected by transverse members 132, the latter connected tutingguides in which the respective bending and twisting mechanisms are vertically lidable (Figs. 9 and 10). Said carriage 130, provided with rollers 131, runs on longi-' .tudinal tracks 134, supported by the four rollers, hereinafter mentioned, attached to various elements of the bending and twisting mechanism, as the carriage moves them forwardly with the work and returns.

As shown in Fig. 10, each bending and twisting unit has a central vertical operating shaft 150, carrying at its upper enda pinion 151 for engagement with a rack 152 on the cam plate 140. Said shaft is swiveled to a block 154 provided with a roller 155- for engagement with the cam path 141.

Said roller 155, attached as stated to the central operating shaft, is normally-supported in a seat on the upper end of a trip lever 158 mounted preferably in a stationary part of the machine frame, or 'to the fixed cam plate, and held in position by the spring 157. The operating shaft is thus suspended from the upper end of said trip lever. The lower end of said lever (or at least the lever of A one unit, with which the levers of other units may be suitably connected) extends below the plane of the work c'o nveyer chain, on which are arranged at intervals pins 159 which at proper periods, when the fastenersupplying mechanism is to perform, engage and trip the said lever, thus releasing the roller 155 and allowing the shaft 150, together with the other mechanism suspended therefrom, to drop. Thereupon the mechanism is moved forward with the work, and back, for actuation by the stationary cams.

Referring to Figs. 11, 12,13 and 14, the central shaft 150 is geared by splined pinion 160 with pinions 161 on the twister shafts 121. The twister shaft bearings 162, in

which said shafts are held by the pinions 161 and collars 163, are hinged at 164 to a block 165 ofa vertically slidable frame 166, guided in the ways'133, which block carries a roller 167, for engagement with the cam-path 142. The hinging of the twister shaft bearings is to permit the swinging of the twisters, the

'inions 161 of which are somewhat conical an form to accommodate the SWlIlglIlg movement. The central shaft is slidable asv well as rotatable in the block 165 (there beinga bashing 168 to compensate for the spline 16%) and a collar 170- pinned on said shaft limits its relative upward movement in the bieek. Thus the slidable frame 166 with the twister shaft is suspended on the central shaft, though the latter can neverthe less be moved down through the block 165 when the said frame is independently held.

At its lower end the central shaft 150 is journalled in a block 171, embraced between collars 172 pinned on said shaft. Saidblock 171 is secured another vertically slidable frame 173, also working ,in the ways 133,

said frame comprising upper side plates 174, and lower side plates 175, the latter having secured therebetween a block 176 containing the stock 177 of the hardened plunger knife 125. This lower slidab-leframe carries operatlng devices for closing the twister jaws 122, and for swinging the twisters and also the wipers 126'. Said devices with the knife are thus collectively suspended from and rise and fall with the central shaft 150.

. For closing the twister jaws, the lower ends of the twister shafts are surrounded by blocks 17 8, adapted to be lowered over and close said jaws, their upward motion on said shafts being limited by the collars 179,, Said jaw-closing blocks are also adapted to swing outward with the twister shafts. For"imparting such swinging motion, the said locks 178 are connected by pins 180, ridable in slots 181, to the lower ends of levers 182 pivotally connected at 183 to the upper plates 1.74 of the lower slidable frame. Said opera-ting slide 185 guided on vertical memher 186 and provided with a roller 187 for engagement with cam path 143. j

The wipers 126 are carried by levers 190 pivoted at 191 to themovable jaw-closing blocks '17 8, whereby said wipers will swing with the twisters, but for. giving them necessary independent movement the said wipercarrying levers 190 are connected by the links 192 with an operating slide 193 eversare connected .by links 184 with an.

guided on vertical member 194 and provided with a roiler 195 for engagement by the cam path 146 of the cam plate 145 shown in Fig. 16.- From an inspection of Fig.10 it willbe apparent that the Weight of the slide 193 will hold the wipers normally against the bottom of the knife block 176.

Reviewing the mechanism as so 'far described, it Will be seen that the trip le'ver 158 (Fig 10) normally suspends the central shaft 150,. from which is suspended the entire bending and twisting -mechanism; namely, the frame 166, through whichthe central shaft can slide, carrying the twister shafts 121 (Figs. 11 and 12), and the lower frame 173, attached to said central shaft, carrying the plunger knife 125, the twister jaw-closing blocks 178, the slide 185 for opcrating the links to swin the twisters, and

the slide 193 forcontrol ing and operating i the notched wipers 126. Also. that-the several rollers attached to these devices are engaged .by the respective cam paths of the stationary cam plates and to be 

